Christmas Special
Part 4
"Oh, how could I be so forgetful!" the butler exclaimed to himself, looking thoughtfully at the placeholders for the dinner upstairs.
In spite of the usual loud chaos in the kitchen, amplified by the fact that it was New Year's Eve, it wasn't difficult for Elsie to catch that worried remark and to be in a matter of seconds at his side. She was willing to be helpful of course, but also curious to see what was causing him to lose his control – especially now, after the whole matter about her not perfect cooking skills.
"Mr Carson, what's wrong?" she asked, trying to cover the slight amusement in the voice.
He continued to muse about his problem for a few more second, then sighed heavily and looked up at her. "I have forgotten to add Lord Merton and the rest of his family… How can I place now four people?" he explained, shaking his head disapprovingly at his own unusual negligence. "I guess I'll have to redifine all the places now…"
This is not a tragedy, we still have time – that was what the housekeeper was about to say in order to assure him; however, before she actually could, a third person entered the conversation, giving surely a more significant help.
"No need to worry over this, Mr Carson. Lord Merton is not upstairs and will not arrive" Thomas casually informed in fact, heading to the stairs carrying a tray.
Charles did not thank the younger man, but nodded in a pleasant way. "Good, the problem is solved then!"
"You still have to add one more place though. For Doctor Clarkson." It was Andy the one to speak now, while heading to the stairs too.
"Doctor Clarkson?"
"Yes, Mrs Hughes. Apparently, he is Mrs Crawley's guest for tonight"
After that last piece of information coming from upstairs, the waiter finally left them, climbing quickly the stairs., trying to catch up with Thomas. While Charles turned again his attention back to the placeholders with a new sense of relief, Elsie was the one to look thoughtful now, even if it was in a pleasant way.
"What's wrong with you, this time?" the butler inquired, once he finished his quick job and looked up once again.
"I was merely thinking" she replied, shrugging slightly. She hesitated only for a moment though, before letting a clearly amused smile appear on her lips. "Mr Carson, do you think that Mrs Crawley and Doctor Clarkson are finally getting together?"
Carson raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don't think it is our place to express an opinion" he reproached her, or at least trying to. But then, in front of the unconvinced look of his wife, he shook his head and gave in, as a little smirk appeared on his face as well. "But if it were our place, Mrs Carson, I would say that maybe they are…"
After the unexpected turn of events right before Christmas, Isobel had to admit that she did love the holidays after all and New Year's Eve was no exception. Considering the premises, 1926 was going to be a wonderful year for her and, according to the cheerful atmosphere at the Abbey, she wasn't the only one to be lucky. Everyone seemed to be healing from their own sorrows, everyone was moving on and, while catching the complicit look of her new fiancè, Isobel was glad to be finally able to say that she was looking at the future too.
She was happy for herself and she was genuinely happy to see the people that had slowly become her family be happy too. Mary was trying to build a life with Henry, Rose was back for a short visit with Atticus and a child on the way, Tom had apparently a new love interest and there were valid rumors that Edith was about to get married too… The only thing that spoiled a bit that perfect situation was Violet's strange behavior that couldn't help but get her worried.
"Are you sure you are alright?"
Sitting on the armchair next to hers, Violet snorted. "It's the second time that you ask and we haven't even started dinner! I was fine ten minutes ago and I am fine now…" she replied, with her usual irony but also a more marked hint of annoyance. "It is your nurse vocation speaking, Isobel, maybe you should work at the hospital again, along with your future husband…" she added then, teasing, while moving her eyes from her cousin to the doctor standing behind her. Even if, when addressed to the man, her look for a moment gained a new whole meaning.
But Richard just smiled politely and, when Isobel wasn't watching, threw back an eloquent glare to the older woman. However, someone else proved to be more helpful than him, as two familiar figures approached them, interrupting the potentially dangerous conversation. Saved in corner, Lady Grantham received the quick kiss from her older niece and then just watched with relief as she started to speak with Isobel, managing that way to distract her.
"We were all expecting you to be the next to get engaged, you know" Mary was saying with a teasing smile, not hesitating at all to inquire about her current curiosity.
Mrs Crawley surprisingly smiled back and nodded. "But I am, indeed"
The younger woman blinked, clearly taken by surprise. "Well, then why didn't you bring your fiancè with you? I thought that Lord Mert-" As she was speaking, her eyes fell on Doctor Clarkson and when she noticed his amused smile, she suddenly widened her eyes in realization. "Oh, Heavens… I didn't see that coming!"
"Actually, I can't say I am surprised!" Tom spoke up, grinning at the couple.
"You suspected it?" Mary inquired, raising an eyebrow, while Richard and Isobel exchanged a confused glance.
The young man nodded with convinction. "I thought that you two would be a good match since the years of the war… And Sybil thought the same."
His voice broke a little at the mention of his beloved wife, but the smile was still on his lips, even if it became a bit melancholic. He remembered suddenly when during a casual talk in the way from the Abbey to the hospital, they had talked about the matter and he couldn't help but get lost for a moment in the memories of the first falling in love with Sybil. She had always been a good observer and now he was happy to see that, after all those years, she was unknowingly winning the sort of playful bet they had made on that far day. Besides, he was happy even more because he could see himself how the doctor and Isobel were perfect for each other indeed and he admired them both – the woman he felt more alike to in the family, and the man who had tried his best to save Sybil's life.
Everyone stayed silent for some seconds, remembering in their own way the dead sweet girl, but when the two women locked their eyes, it was unavoidably another lost person to be silently recalled. As Tom moved more toward Richard to express his congratulations, the now Mrs Talbot took Isobel's hands in hers own.
"If you are happy, I am happy for you, Isobel. And so would be Matthew…"
Isobel's eyes were immediately filled with tears, but as she squeezed back her daughter in law's hands, she managed to hint a grateful smile. "Thank you, dear"
Mary, who was touched as well, blinked a few times and then let out a soft smile, trying to regain control of herself. "So, are you going to announce your new engament to everyone tonight or are you going to pretend that Doctor Clarkson is here just as a guest until the next year?"
The other woman chuckled slightly but shook her head though, as she turned it a bit in the direction of another happy couple, standing in one corner of the big room. "It's Edith's moment tonight" she simply said then, nodding approvingly as the other Crawley girl and Bertie Pelham were looking lovingly at each ohter.
Mary looked at them too and, after a short pause, smiled sincerely and approvingly, as rarely happened when it came to her younger sister. "Yes, she deserves her moment of full happiness" she agreed surprisingly. And even more surprisingly, there was no trace of irony in her words.
I tried to picture my idea of the perfect New Year's Eve and also to write the reaction of some characters to Richobel. Yes, in my world everyone ships them - including poor darling Sybil -, while Mary ships EdithxHappiness, because it's another thing that I would totally love to finally see! Enjoy this other moment of happiness, because drama is coming in the next chapter. By the way, there are just two parts left and I will surely post them before the CS:) A feedback is always very appreciated.